Floor wax applicator



O. 1.. RUGAARD FLOOR WAX A PPLICATOR Nov. 11, 1941.

I Filed March 3, 1941- 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor A Home Nov. 11, 1941-0. p. RUGAARD 7 2,262,334

FLOOR WAX APPLIcA'roR Filed March 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jj E PInventor Osman L. P0644PD A ttoruey Patented Nov. 11, 1941 FLOOR WAXAPPLICA'ITOR Oswald L. p ltugaard, Ridgefield Park, N. J., as-

signor of fifty per cent to John A. Earl, Leonia,

N. J., and fifty wood, N. J.

per cent to Frank Boos, Engle- Application March 3, 1941, Serial No.381,564 (c1. sir-25) p l n 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in wax applicators, and the primaryobject of the invention is to provide a device or this character inwhich the operating mechanism is entirely enclosed; and which is of asimplified and less expensive construction, and which is especiallyarranged to facilitate and economize in the application of wax to aflooror other surface.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfroma reading of the following description taken in connection with theappended drawings,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown apreferred embodiment of my invention.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a general front perspective view of the embodiment.

of the combined reservoir and handle l6.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary left hand side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the handgrip portion.

Figure 4 is a vertically contracted enlarged longitudinal sectional viewtaken through Figure 1 along the line 4-4 and looking in the directionof the arrows; a

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 1along the line 55 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the combined handle and reservoir.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the lower end of the hand gripportion.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designatesthe applicator which may comprise a generally conventional applicatorhead including a transversely elongated relatively rigid plate 6 havingupturned edges 1, with a felt or other suitable material applicator body8 arranged across the bottom of the plate 6 and having its edgesoverturned around the projections 1 in an inward direction and held downin place by spring bails 9 and I mounted on brackets ll attached to theplate 6. Pivoted at I2 on the said brackets are the lower ends ofupwardly converging bars l3 and I4 which are rigidly secured todiametrically opposite sides of the tubular valve body l which isthreaded on the lower end of the combined handle and fluid wax reservoirwhich is generally designated Hi.

In the present instance the valve body IS includes the beveled annularflange IT at its lower end constituting a liquid wax nozzle for guidingthe stream of wax released by the valve onto the floor in rear of theapplicator head, as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings. Above thenozzle I I is the partition [8 which is provided with a central openingterminating in a valve seat IS, the interior of the element I5 beingthreaded at 20 to accept the lower end of the combined reservoir andhandle l6, as shown in detail in Figure 4 of the drawings. A mushroomtype valve 2| is positioned relative to the valve seat l9 and isconnected on the lower end of the valve operating rod 22 which extendsthrough the opening in the partition l8 and up through the entire lengthThe rod 22 has a stop pin 23 retaining a washer 24 which directlyengages the upper end of a helical expanding spring 25 which iscompressed and has its lower end engaged with the top of the partitionl8, whereby the valve 2| is held normally seated in the seat l9 to closeoii gravitational discharge of the liquid wax 26 in the handle IS.

The upper end of the combined reservoir and handle 16 isprovidedinteriorly with a diametrical web 21 through the center of whichthe upper end of the rod 22 slides and is exposed above the element 21 asufiicient distance to enable sufficient depression of therod 22, in amannerto be described, to completely unseat the valve 2|. As indicatedin Figure 4 the element 21 is depressedsomewhat below the upper end ofthe handle I6 which isexteriorly threaded'asindicated by the numeral 28and to threadably enter and connect the lower end of the hand grip whichis generally designated3ll.

The hand grip 30 comprises a tubular elbow 3| which has adjacent itslower end a partition 32 in position to press an annular gasket 33 ontothe upper edge of the handle I6 to firmly connect the handle portion 3|]with the upper end of the handle and prevent escape of fluid, in thiscase, the liquid floor wax, from the upper end of the handle. The openupper end of the handle provides the medium whereby the liquid wax isintroduced into the handle reservoir l6.

Telescoped in and secured within the upper end of the elbow 3| is asuitable hand grip 34 which may have a cylindrical shape as shown orsome other suitable shape.

Between the hand grip 34 and the lower end of the elbow 3| there isformed a vertical slot 35 in the crook of the elbow through whichextends the bill portion 36 of a trigger or operating lever which isgenerally designated 31 which is mounted on a pivot 38 traversing andsecured in the sides of the adjacent portion of the elbow, the

portion 36 of the lever 31 being suitably curved and positioned for easyoperation by the fingers of the operator when gripping the handleportion 30.

Within the elbow 31 the trigger has a right angularly related suitablycurved cam portion 39 which bears operatively upon the upper end of aplunger rod 40 which works in an opening M in the center of thepartition or web 42 and has below this partition an enlarged head 43arranged for operative engagement with the upper end of the valveoperating rod 22. Above the partition 32 the rod 40 has circumposedthereon an expanding spring 44 which works between the top of thepartition and a washer 45 on the rod 40 and is held in place by a pin 46thereabove.

As a result of the arrangement described, the combined reservoir andhandle l6 being supplied with liquid wax, and the handle portion 30having been connected in place on the upper end of the handle I6, theoperator need only to draw the portion 36 of the lever 31 in an upwarddirection, as in pressing the trigger of a gun, to cause a dischargeupon the floor or other surface being waxed, of a selected amount of theliquid wax. Thereupon the applicator head of the device need only bemoved over the floor or other surface to distribute the wax in theordinary manner.

It will be observed that with all of the operating mechanism with theexception of the lever 1 31 enclosed and concealed within the main bodyof the device, there are no parts to catch in objects and becomeimpaired in their operation by engagement with outside objects, and tobe subjected to deterioration due to exposure. the same time, theconstruction and arrangement of parts set forth above provide foreconomical manufacture, a reduction and simplification of parts, and areduction in useless Weight, with consequent savings in manufacture andshipping costs. These advantages are entirely apart from and in additionto the obvious mechanical superiority due to the fewness of parts anddirect and fool-proof action thereof.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not wish to limitthe application of the invention thereto except as may be required bythe scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A wax applicator comprising an applicator head for reciprocation overthe surface to be waxed, a combined handle and liquid reservoirconnected at its lower end to said applicator head and comprising a tubeopen at its upper and lower ends, a valve normally closing the lower endof said tube, a valve operating rod enclosed within said tube andconnected at its lower end to said valve, a handle portion removablyconnected to and closing the upper end of said tube, and a manuallyoperable lever on said handle portion, said lever being operable toactuate said rod to open the valve.

2. A wax applicator comprising an applicator head for reciprocation overthe surface to be waxed, a combined handle and liquid reservoirconnected at its lower end to said applicator head and comprising a tubeopen at its upper and lower ends, a valve normally closing the lower endof said tube, a valve operating rod enclosed within said tube andconnected at its lower end to said valve, a handle portion removablyconnected to and closing the upper end of said tube, and a manuallyoperable lever on said handle portion, said lever being operable toactuate said rod to open the valve, spring means connected to the lowerpart of said rod normally holding said valve in closed position.

3. A wax applicator comprising an applicator head for reciprocation overthe surface to be waxed, a combined handle and liquid reservoirconnected at its lower end to said applicator head and comprising a tubeopen at its upper and lower ends, a valve normally closing the lower endof said tube, a valve operating rod enclosed within said tube andconnected at its lower end to said valvev a handle portion removablyconnected to and closing the upper end of said tube, and a manuallyoperable lever on said handle portion, said lever being operable toactuate said rod to open the valve, spring means connected to the lowerpart of said rod normally holding said valve in closed position, anozzle on the lower end of said tube below said valve,

said nozzle being positioned to discharge the liquid wax onto saidsurface at a point to the rear of said applicator head.

OSWALD L. RUGAARD.

